Haslam Shows Passion In Defense Of Real Estate Outsourcing Project

In an uncharacteristically passionate defense, Governor Bill Haslam beat back criticism of a wide-ranging privatization plan on Thursday. 

He says Tennesseans should want his office looking to save money through outsourcing property management of state buildings, thereby leaving money for more important duties, such as education.

“Everybody thinks, ‘well Haslam has some bias toward privatizing.’ I really don’t. My only bias is how are we going to run this the very best we can for the very lowest amount of money? That’s my only bias. Period,” Haslam told reporters.

Documents brought to light by
News Channel 5 give detailed pros and cons to letting a third party take care of Tennessee’s real estate — from college dormitories to state parks. Haslam says his office is just “doing its homework.”

“You ought to want us to be doing what we’re doing,” he said.

Haslam points to recent instances of outsourcing reversals. Engineering for road projects have been brought in-house at TDOT. The Tourism Department has moved some marketing from contractors to state workers because it saved money.

But internal emails, made public under the state’s open records law, do give the impression the Haslam Administration would prefer letting a private company take over property management, even though the consultant hired by the state has found
less potential for savings than first thought. Haslam says reporters need to take him at his word.

“You all think we’ve come to some conclusion. We have not,” he said. “No decision has been made and there’s not going to be a decision in the near future.”

Haslam says he’s still “months away” from choosing to proceed, and even further out from setting a plan in motion. He adds that it’s still possible he could “walk away altogether.”